Hand of Sorrow
by Saving Insanity
Summary: The curse of his power tormented his life with the sinister price of his eternal freedom dangling by a thread. Will this one woman be enough to save it despite all of the attempts stop her?
1. The Child Without A Name

Some believe that dreams are a mental gateway into another ethereal realm where the spirit of man goes to mix with that of others in this universe and those parallel to it. In an equal argument, it is said that the dream state is there to assimilate the void of the mind with those around it and in all possibilities a specific one. A spiritual way to connect to the world beyond what one can touch. In these travels, one may find that the eye does not see all and what is considered insane is nothing more than the most primal of feelings being combined and put forth in a way most unlike the soul. All of which, becomes the misunderstanding that creates an unbearable evil to clench and gnaw at a person until nothing is left but the black innards that will soon come to define an image.

This is what he became.

When theorized, a problem can be solved by removing the source. In all probabilities, when the source of the devastation or agitation is been rid of then all should be in well balance once more. This is not always the case however. There are dilemmas where negativity is so dug into a being that it has created a permanent home that can only be temporarily anchored in peace for short bursts of time. When not properly dealt with it mushrooms into a storm that becomes uncontrollably powerful that only a source that can disguise anger with affection can stop it. Is there any communicating with a being that is so used to with abhorrence and destruction that he himself becomes it, though? Most would think not, and they are commonly correct in the eyes of the public; however, there are visionaries- people with hope and compassion strong enough to reach through.

Could she possibly be strong enough to completely reduce the source of his pain to mere memory?

When Eretha had first set eye on the Z-fighters she was sure there was nothing in the universe more powerful and incredible, what with their heroic tales of defending Earth from evil and certain destruction. True heroes indeed, though unfortunately not famous as she thought they would be. She had heard of their feats through Bulma, a friend she had made when tending to Vegeta as an intern about five years ago give or take. Today, she had graced them with her company at a picnic with Bulma's exuberant invitation and there she studied them carefully. Their bodies were exquisitely muscular and toned, most unlike any human shape she had ever come across. She was aware that some of them were these interesting beings called 'saiyans' that Bulma had told her about in recent years, and two were the breed of saiyan and human and equally as deadly. Intergalactic breeding was an interesting concept to her being that she was a medical and psychiatric graduate that also had an interest for space that she quenched through her friendship to Bulma Briefs: astronaut, inventor, mother, all at the same time. Whilst moving her curled, ginger, hair out of her face she took a good look up to the clear blue sky and breathed in clean oxygen that she was deprived of in the city. The country was a quaint place that she enjoyed sharing with her companions no matter how powerful they are.

"So how'd you meet Vegeta?" Eretha asked while smoothing her blue dress over her knees.

"It's a long story really," Bulma started in, then paused to recollect all the pieces of the story that became her and Vegeta. "He came to Earth after the battle with Frieza and well…. One thing lead to another and bang, before I knew it here comes Trunks."

"Oh," Eretha mouthed without surprise really. Bulma had always been one for fast paced relationships. She couldn't say the same for herself. "I get kinda bored of my dating life sometimes-hence why I ask. Maybe I should find a saiyan," she joked. It seemed to make Bulma giggle as well.

"Sleeping with a saiyan is a lot different than sleeping with a human man," Bulma stated with a straight face as she analyzed the specimen that was her husband with a hint of lust in her eyes. In seeing this, Eretha nudged her companion slightly and gave a silly giggle and shake of the head.

"I'm not looking to _sleep _with anyone-or thing. Would a saiyan even be considered a person?" She stated with a roll of her eyes and curious air to her voice. Before she took a sip of tea she also threw in, "Though I can't say I'm not intrigued," she giggled.

"Intrigued? Three things you need to know about a saiyan, temper, pride, and food. Cook them a good meal and they'll be sedated for a while. Then afterwards, they'll either want to fight or ya know," Bulma stated with a laugh lacing her words. It had been long since she had female company. She'd almost forgotten how to act. "Works every time."

Eretha rolled her eyes again and 'tisked' Bulma three times, "Ya know Bulma, I wanna go on adventures like you did. Do something for once ya know."

"Like bang a hot alien guy," Bulma mused before she busted out with laughter. She was being completely ridiculous that day, but hell, she was enjoying herself.

"Bulma." Eretha scorned. "For the last time, anything involving Earthen or extraterrestrial _exploration, wink_, wink, is not on my agenda.So cram it on that subject."

Bulma groaned, "You're no fun. But, if you want to go on a space adventure then I would suggest doing so with some of the gang. You never know what's out there, ya know."

Sighing, Eretha said, "Indeed. I just don't know if I'll ever get the chance to do that though."

Eretha knew that Bulma was intelligent and well-traveled, but Eretha herself wasn't and she wanted to be. Her nursing career was on a stand still, she was living alone in the country with a cat, and other than the picnic she was at her life was completely social-less. Bulma had everything she wanted: Family, friends, and excitement. Quite a fulfilling life. Eretha wished that just for once she could do something _risky. _Not life threatening of course, but something to get her heart rate up just a bit- something she could remember for the rest of her life. Of course she was normal, though. A normal woman with a normal job and not-so-normal friends. Her life was quaint and always had been. She grew up the daughter of a contractor that had built her family's house with his own two hands and married his high school sweetheart then had a family. Three daughters they had, including herself. One of which went on to live the lives of a billionaires wife while the other severed ties with her family completely. Eretha had no clue where she'd gone.

Yeah, normal.

"You will," said Bulma sympathetically. "Just let it come to you."

In a few short moments after that statement, a gust of wind so strong that it shook the leaves off the trees swept across the picnic grounds in a gale of fury. Flustered, Eretha parted the hair out of her face and begin to sweep her surroundings quickly to assure that her friends were not harmed and to hopefully find the source of the violent wind. What she found was shocking. With mouth agape and finger pointing at the direction of an alien spaceship that hade nestled itself in the pasture. People around her were stunned and awed, yet also very terrified as it touched down. Those around her were hiding and protecting their families, while Bulma and the group of heroes she was accompanying were in the front line preparing to protect their lands. Their actions were typical and very welcomed, yet Eretha could not help but feel that something was pulling her to that spaceship as well. She had no super strength or otherworldly abilities, but she had intelligence. In hopes that it could pull her through, she stifled her terror and curiosity long enough to revoke Bulma's pleas for her to stay near and journeyed closer to the craft. Trunks greeted her head on.

"What are you doing? Go back to a safe distance, Eretha," he urgently pleaded. "We don't know who these people are or if it's safe."

"I'll be fine, Trunks," Eretha whispered before the words even had time to form in her head. She was so sure of herself for some unforeseen reason that she had almost forgotten the circumstances.

Watching aliens pour from an opening in the ship like a typhoon of limbs and helmets was never her original idea of excitement, but she found it would do in a pinch. She watched in curious wander as they spewed out in a uniform like fashion, almost as if they had really memorized the exact areas they were supposed to be at when they landed. It was all curiously fascinating and she sought to get just a smidge closer but was denied by a large muscular bicep being thrown in her way. Knowing that she wouldn't leave, Trunks put himself between this lovely woman and a hoard of alien monsters that she seemed fascinated in for some reason in hopes that it would quell her unusual fascination with a possibly dangerous situation. He was unsuccessful however, and ended up trying to catch her as she ducked under his arm and ran to hide behind a random oak tree while the leader of the group parted his way through the sea of extraterrestrial life forms. His target was Vegeta, and unbeknownst to Eretha, this man was a saiyan.

While she was trying to take a peak around the tree and eavesdrop on the conversation that was started, a firm hand grabbed her from behind, jolting her with a violent reaction to stimuli. It was Trunks, and he had a rather unpleased expression upon his face that she answered with rounded eyes.

"Eretha please listen to me, you don't need to be here."

"Let go!" She demanded with a tug of her shoulder. She also alerted the man named 'Paragus' to her location and Vegeta as well.

Paragus laid his eyes on her and felt a strange plan begin to form in his mind. For an earthling, he found this woman distinctly beautiful and strong in presence. Her long body matched that of a saiyan woman he had seen once, and her stature equally matched that of one as well. Though she was no saiyan, her ability to act so independently held his attention to her in admiration long enough for her to realize that she was being 'checked out' in a way. This time, she let Trunks cling to her in hopes of protection. Paragus's eyes stared at her with hunger but it was not his own lust that attracted him to her. He more or less saw her as a pawn- a puzzle piece. His plan for her outweighed any sort of attraction he had for this measly earthen female. Then, there was the male around her that he became intrigued about. Prince Trunks, he presumed, had his arm around her as she flung herself to him for protection. The possibility of mutual attraction between the two was high, being that Trunks was half human. In her eyes however, there was a certain curiosity that he could play on. Something that Trunks would undoubtedly dislike. Smiling at the thought, Paragus bowed to her, catching her off guard and making her feel safe long enough to exit her safety zone.

"And who are you, my lady?" Paragus asked with upmost regal authority while also giving her an open palm so he could kiss her hand as the knights of old did. Blanching at his act of chivalry, Eretha granted him her hand with great caution and tried to quell her thudding heart in the process.

"Eretha, registered nurse and psychiatric physician," she stated boldly while he gently kissed her hand. She became somewhat more relaxed when she realized that the initial intention these men had was not too harm. In fact, the original intention for landing still remained a mystery to her until Vegeta opened his mouth.

"Are you going to keep fraternizing with the woman, or are we going to be going, Paragus?" Vegeta barked with his impatience getting the better of him.

Shocked, Trunks stepped in with his own input, "Father, you can't be serious! You're not really going to fall for this are you?"

Vegeta waited a few short moments, his eyes glued to his son's with defiance before he sneered and yelled, "Lead the way, Paragus."

Trunks gaped in disbelief and began to yell for his father once more before he noticed that Paragus was still thoroughly eyeing Eretha. There was something dark in the way he stared at her and it was as if she could feel it as well. She stood behind the lot, arms crossed over her chest as if she were exposed somehow and eyes to the ground. It was the first time Trunks and truly observed her and noticed how attractive she really was. Eye candy to some, and Trunks feared that's what she was being presumed as, a concubine or something of that nature. He felt and unnatural and urgent need to constantly protect her, and for whatever reason he didn't know. She was just so naïve- so vulnerable. A man like Paragus could be very manipulative and a woman like Eretha was stubborn and strong headed. Trunks felt immediate fear for whatever was coming her way but was completely powerless to stop it unless he somehow controlled Eretha and his father.

"So you're in the medical profession? Excellent, we need a nurse," said Paragus with great woe before he got on one knee before her and started again with his chivalrous actions. "Please, I beg of you, join us on our journey to the New Vegeta. Many of my men are hurt with no medical professional to assist them. I besiege you, join us and save my men."

Eretha shook her head, "How am I supposed to save hundreds of men, huh? I'm only one woman." She began to deny his invitation, then realized this could be a good shot for an adrenaline rush. Possibly a stupid one, but could she really refuse the ride of a lifetime?

"Fine, then just tend to one. He's the only one I care about and if someone doesn't help him, he will be lost. Please," Paragus begged, his eyes holding the upmost sincere cry for help.

That was all she needed to push her over the edge.

"Ok, I'll go," she stated, then looked to Trunks who was utterly hurt and shocked that no one was listening to him.

This time Bulma stepped in with the infant version of Trunks hanging tenderly to her, "Eretha!" she yelled with something shiny and chrome waving in her hand. She must have heard the conversation. "Take this! It will help you." Bulma then proceeded to shove the small rectangle into her hand without enough time for reaction. Eretha stared up at her in a bit of confusion as she cradled it in her hands, awaiting an explanation that she received when Bulma came very close to her ear and whispered, "It'll help you and keep you close. Be careful, hun." The blue haired woman then proceeded to give her a quick hug and leave her for departure.

Everyone seemed so pensive for her save for Vegeta who seemed more interested in leaving for who-knows-where. Trunks promised his allegiance to her and her safety and never failed to leave her side for the slightest second. Though she wondered and worried, in a way she knew she was going to be alright. It wasn't exactly a proven fact. Call it a gut feeling at most, but as she boarded with the rest of the crew that also spontaneously decided to take the voyage with her, a few of which who were drug along by a drunken old man that she considered quite of demoralized nature. These were the people she would be taking her 'adventure' with to save so unknown person on and unknown planet suffering from some unknown disease. Yeah, a brilliant idea for someone who hadn't the slightest idea of how to knock down walls with a flick of the wrist or fire lasers from her eyes, but she had her knowledge and her characters and as the ship began to ascend, she hoped that it would be enough to keep her alive if need be.


	2. Grew up to be the Hand

In the vastness of space everything seemed so calm-so content. Eretha was aboard the ship that Paragus invited her upon, trailing her companions to a distant point in there universe and far from at peace for the time being. She had questions but her still mouth kept them to herself as she pondered the stars from the safety of a window as the ship twisted and turned on a steady gyro sphere through a field of asteroids. Advanced mechanics kept her safe for the time being; however, she couldn't quite place her thoughts in a straight line. Regret vaguely plagued her, drowned more so into the words Paragus had told her on Earth. Keys such as "only one I _care _about" and "hundreds of wounded", kept hounding her. Was she about to step into some war zone or something similar? Her eyes wandered to the silver contraption that Bulma handed her. Just was this any way, she asked herself. How was this little thing going to help her survive any sort of confrontation? Opening it, she found dozens of little compacted capsules in four rows of five. She couldn't quite understand it completely their use so she turned to Trunks who joined her by the window, his face a placid frown that was deepened by the light of the stars highlighting and lowlighting certain crevices in his face to make him look much older. To muse him, she struck up a conversation with a simply tap to his chest.

"You come here often?" She started with a giggle while instantaneously closing the capsule container with a _snap. _

"No, but I know that you shouldn't have come," she stated quite blandly. Eretha rolled her eyes and turned to walk away, her blue dress swaying in a feminine fashion.

Placing her hand on her hips she stated, "I'm a grown woman you know. I make my own decisions, _Dad."_

Unsettled by her response, Trunks answered, "It's not like that. I just want you to be safe," with the upmost truth in his words.

He stated it so simply that it warmed her insides in a tingling sensation that she felt almost embarrassed for. This was Bulma's _son _how could she feel so strongly for one thing he said? Perhaps in the way he stated it, his back to her with a sigh beforehand that insisted some underlying affectionate undertone to it that she felt simply flattered by it. Crossing her arms, she nibbled on her lower lip and uttered a quiet thanks to him but kept her eyes on the ground until his shadow came up behind her, obviously elongated by some planetary light behind him. Another solar system, another sun. With her interest being peaked once more, she glanced briefly behind her to the horizons that were rapidly becoming bluer as they descended onto their apparent location. Everything seemed so peaceful, she deducted from the plants and forests that showed no apparent scars of warfare. So what was her entire purpose there? Conversation ending oddly and abruptly, she followed in pursuit of the light that was becoming more relevant at the front of the spacecraft- the exit.

Their destination was the building in the background that was so aptly perched on the edge of a high cliff. She could vaguely see its detailing from where she was when she boarded a hover vehicle with Trunks, Goten, and the turtle master that she had so far avoided any confrontation with. Of course Trunks insisted on being by her side as if he were some chaperone that hired himself for her aid and being her lady-like self, she sat in the front with her attention ahead so she could assess her situation. The first step to defining a patient's ailment was to define their surroundings, most of which seemed serine and being that she had not met the patient yet she was at a loss of what to do. Again her attention returned to the capsule pack that she rubbed the tip of her fingers across gently. How were these small things going to make an impact if needed? Shaking her head, she reached for the thin phone-like devise that was adjacent to the pills. It had a screen for video talking, or so she guessed. _Guess Bulma wants to keep in touch, _she mused just before the car halted and she rolled her eyes to the top of a mass of people. Unloading, she thought to herself that this must be where her quest begins.

"If, I may?" said Paragus in reach for her hand as she discharged from the passenger's seat.

"You may," she responded with a tilt of her head. "And if I may inquire on this person you need me to tend to?"

Something tensed in Paragus, "Yes of course, please follow me, and I'll let you meet my son."

His _son_.

Family cases were always the most difficult to deal with for Eretha. It wasn't because she had gone through any sort of trauma with the subject, but because the family in question had been so traumatized that the point for help had been long lost. In many cases she found, the person that was to undergo treatment had become so accustom to the reactions from their behavior that they lost interest in mental healing while others around them collapsed or became accustom to the process of a mental psychosis. This was different, she concurred as she walked with Paragus silently. The father's persona was most unlike any she'd dealt with. Being a saiyan, she did not expect him to be similar to earthen fathers, even the toughest ones she'd dealt with. His face seemed contracted into a different onset of emotions that he kept hidden while they talked. To break the silence, she began to be inquisitive on the state of her patient. The process turned utterly frustrating swiftly.

Is said patient mentally handicapped?

No

Does the patient show signs of mental or physical trauma?

No

Does the patient require any sort of medicinal help or restraint?

Hesitation, and again, no.

Two pages of questions. All of them answered with a placid "no".

At the end of their walk she was tempted to just throw her questionnaire at the back of Paragus's head as she followed him up a case of stone stairs. If no one was ill, then why was she here other than for her own personal game? Trunks had eventually found her in the crowd and rose to be beside her on the stairs, making her pinned between him and his father. His body language became pensive, she observed in her peripheral vision, and even more so when Paragus began to once again speak to his father, the prince of all saiyans. She rolled her eyes at the faux statement that was obvious to everyone save for Vegeta whose ego was being thoroughly inflated and began to review the things she had jotted down on her small notepad during the walk with Paragus. All of it seemed so elusive, as if he were hiding some grave detail from her. She knew how to smell out a lie and the entire page was dank with the odor, but in her time she had learned not to push so hard.

"My only son. He is at your service, Prince Vegeta."

"I, am Broly," a simple, calm voice stated so dully from the top of the stairs.

Eretha's eyes shot up to greet the person who introduced himself, finding it to be another saiyan of a taller stature and incredibly uninterested glaze to his eyes. He didn't see her standing so idly in the crowd. Mostly his stare was forward into the horizon even as he answered to Vegeta's barks in the same manner. But nothing disturbed her more than the fact that this was Paragus's son, confirming that most of his answers were lies. As far as she examined, he seemed to have a social disorder, being quiet, inattentive, and unwilling to participate in the antics, but he did surprisingly. As the conversation was interrupted by one of Paragus's scouts boldly stating that this super saiyan they were in pursuit of was found on a nearby planet she became once again inquisitive. This time, to herself. Broly did not seem to be mentally impaired, yet she did not know of any saiyans to be quiet and to obey simple commands as a canine would. Most were loud and boisterous, and had a unique love for fighting that defined their race mentally. Broly, as far as she could see, did not. The best solution she could think of without a proper medical diagnosis was a companion or some sort of hobby, which for a saiyan was completely irrational, so until she could find another solution for Paragus, she was at a loss.

In the later part of the evening, when dusk was beginning to settle on the horizon, she caught up with Paragus who at the time was escorting Goku and his companions to dinner. While they were engorging themselves, she spoke with Paragus about her early ideas for his son.

"If I may be honest?" Eretha started, her ensemble now taking on the appearance of a professional psychiatrist. "It seems that your son may have some sort of social disorder. This could stem from many things such as the loss of a friend or traumatic past, or even never being exposed to social conduct."

She watched his face twitch into a frown and soon something in her became quite unsettled.

"We've moved around quite a bit in his life. He never had many friends, and those he had… perished unfortunately," said Paragus, his back to her now and his obvious direction going away from her. Once again she was being avoided.

What exactly did he mean by perished? She asked herself silently. It was one thing to lose a companion, and even to have one to die, but perish was another word all together. The way she speculated, she observed that word as a more violent of death. She knew that saiyans were violent beings, even Goku loved the thrill of fighting, but just how could a childhood friend "perish"? She began to feel that she was getting in over her head. Who exactly did she think she was anyway? King Yemma? Eretha took a minute to assess her situation, allowing Paragus the freedom to move away from her at quite a decent pace. Something told her that he didn't quite want her there to take care of anyone and such a thought worried her. What exactly did he want her there for anyway? Was she some sort of distraction? Eye candy? She shuttered inwardly, hoping that wasn't the case.

"Eretha," said Trunks from behind her.

"Hmm?" She answered dully.

"You're really brave. I mean," he started whilst fiercly blushing and rubbing the back of his head, "I was even nervous to come here and you don't seem scared at all."

Eretha smiled, "Yeah seems that way huh?" In an impulse, she stood on her tiptoes and gave Trunks a gentle kiss on his cheek for the thought, forcing the half-saiyan to blush ferociously. "Take it easy. Don't worry about me so much."

She took her own leave after that, knowing that there was more for her to worry about but she couldn't help but smile. Trunks was such a sweet man. He cared so much about her apparently. There was obvious attraction to her she could tell, but it was innocent (as far as she knew). Then she thought for a second and couldn't remember the last time any man had been so involved with her. It was flattering really, with her own ridiculous smile she glanced back for him but he was nowhere in sight. Must have gone to do his own thing, she thought to herself and a bit on the disappointed side. Childishness. She had work to do. Feeling a bit warm, she slid off her grey over shirt to reveal a maroon colored camisole that she wore underneath it. A headache was brewing like a pot of hot coffee in her head. Must be the atmospheric changes. She took a seat on the hard stone ground cross legged in a pair of dark skinny jeans and let her hair down. Heat was agitating her to the growling point. All she did was work. She never put in some fun time for herself so she decided to start now since Paragus didn't feel like being much help to her.

In an hour, give or take, the spacecraft carrying Vegeta, Broly and their troops arrived back on the planet empty handed. Eretha had made it into her room and was in the dark until commotion from outside awoke her. Her bedroom was empty for the most part, save for about five more beds and the portable wardrobe Bulma supplied her with via capsule. Otherwise, she was alone. The bed she chose was beside the door and a crack let her see what was going on in the world of the living. Broly was out there, catching her immediate attention as she saw him facing down Goku. Finally she could see him participate in some sort of social activity, helping her help him in the future. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and adjusted the door to let her secretly examine more. What she saw was intriguing, possibly a breakthrough. The two men stared each other down, an aura of green and gold appearing around them. Eretha held her breath as Broly seemed to be reacting angrily to Goku's presence but Goku hadn't made or said a single thing against him. It was as if Broly had something against Goku but as far as she knew the two had never met before in their entire life. Either way, she had her breakthrough. Tomorrow, she would dig into that possibility moreso. Tonight, it was Eretha.

Three in the morning: Earthen time.

She was awoken by a rough hand on her bare shoulder shaking her intensely for a few moments before she stirred. Her vision was blurry, her mind groggy, but she could make out Paragus's outline hardly beyond the yawns. He was alone as far as she knew but why on Earth would he awaken her so early? Sitting up, and simultaneously pulling the blankets over her shoulders, she greeted him with another yawn and was pulled out of her bed gruffly. By the time her feet hit the cold floor she was fully awake, fully aware, and fully irritated.

"Well good morning? Can I help you?" she hissed as they entered a lightened hallway, his tug on her urgent rather than angry.

"It's time," Paragus mumbled.

In a matter of moments she was sitting in front of Broly, his eyes to the ground and shaking as profusely as he was sweating. The room was lit with what seemed like a hundred or so candles and vaguely smelling of perspiration, and the energy was so intensely negative that she felt uncomfortable for once in her entire practice. She was left in there to "do her magic" alone with a seemingly upset saiyan that could turn her into a gluey paste if he wanted. Not only that, she was unaware of him or his behavioral patterns. Still, no matter how uncomfortable she felt she started her session.

"Hi, I'm Eretha," she spoke softly.

No response. Her anxiety grew a bit more.

"I'm here to help, if you want me to. Do you want me to help you?"

She received a glare with gritted teeth that immediately set her on the edge of her seat. What was she to do now? Her match was set with at least two points against her already, but that was just how she liked it. Usually. Dealing with a saiyan put her under completely different circumstances and soon she began to feel even more out of place. It was like a lamb entering a lion's den with no anticipations of became food. She had a deck of cards to play, tricks to pull, but she didn't want to underestimate his intelligence. That would be the most deadly thing she could do, so she began to prod gently into his psychological differences mentally.

"I…don't need…your help," he growled slowly, setting her on the edge of her seat even more so. Feeling her discomfort, he shifted his head so it appeared as if he had no eyes under a veil of black shadows. "Leave."

He challenged her. For a moment she sat still, debating on what she should do. She can't back down. She had to show him her strength.

"Let's play a game. Do you like games?" She asked in a stern voice even though she was trembling on the inside.

He smirked, "Cat and mouse is my favorite," said Broly with a voice so deep and dark that she nearly yelped. Seems like things were going positively lovely for him.

"Not exactly what I had in mind. What about a memory game? I'll show you a card and you tell me what it reminds you of?" She asked.

Almost immediately Broly gave signs of distaste by leaning back in his seat with his arms crossed and an uninterested, annoyed gaze in her directions. Still, she proceeded. First she held up a picture of a bird and he gave no response. Undeterred, she showed him flashcard with a picture of a woman and child on it by which he snatched out of her hand and examined for a few brief seconds before crumbling it up and tossing it in the floor while simultaneously staring her in the eye. Eretha gulped, slowed her heart rate a bit more and began to ramble on to why she was showing him these cards. For the most part, the saiyan man was uninterested in anything she had to say, only laughing briefly at the end to symbolize that he was done listening to anything she had to say. Eretha did halt her words, only because her tongue was too dry to continue. She was terrified.

"Your game is idiotic," he laughed, holding that ever youthful saiyan pride in his voice. Eretha's face flushed white. "Are you scared? Or are you trembling for fun?" He laughed, knowing that he had the upper hand.

She had no idea what she had got into.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she lied and crossed her legs. Eretha was determined to not let him get the better of her.

He grabbed her then, holding onto her ankle as hard as he could without crushing it. Eretha chocked back a scream that mystified in her throat and began to count numbers back in her head to calm herself down, to no obvious avail. He could feel her shake now, there was no more hiding it. The next few events she would have to take in stride. He said he liked cat and mouse and she didn't have to guess which position she would be in that, only that now she had stepped into a trap that would be tricky to get herself out of, if she could. His grip was beginning to hurt but she fought the urge to jerk in case that would trigger something that she couldn't control. Only then did she question who was in charge in that situation and it certainly wasn't her. When he jerked her from her seat, she heard and felt the force of his strength fly around her as she hit the floor with a hard thud at his feet. Flustered, she moved her hair out of her face and began to breathe swiftly before she stared him in the eyes with terror. She hadn't expected anything like that.

"Leave," he growled once more.

This time, she listened.


End file.
